Vogel State Park - Day 2

    Our campsite here is next to the last on the first loop of campsites.  Somehow, unexpectedly, we awoke at almost 9am this morning.  I did wake briefly about 6 but saw the time and rolled back over.  There was a smokey mountain fog laying over the park above us and as I stepped outside and I had the distinct sense it was raining.  Nope, our campsite is situated just between two little mountain streams and between them it just sounded like rain.  A beautiful 72 degrees, an ever so gentle breeze mingled with the sound of the water and the scent of the pines and rhododendrons saturated the senses.  Back inside and I got breakfast together and prepared for a visit from an old friend.  

    I hadn't seen Jack in almost 40 years, the last time I saw him he had recently moved to the Atlanta area and I was taking a family trip to Florida.  We lost touch after that, both focused on raising families and providing for them.  We had worked together for several years at Emerson Electric in Harrison, Arkansas back in the early 80s before Emerson packed up and moved to Mexico.  I had every so often dug around looking to make contact with Jack expecting to find any hint of where he might be.  A couple years ago I made a concentrated effort and located him not too far outside of Atlanta and confirmed it was him when I noticed his previous address from Arkansas.  There was no way to actually contact him without just showing up at his door but there were enough clues to narrow my focus.  I finally located his son on Facebook and left a message in hopes he wouldn't ignore a message from a complete stranger.  We finally connected a few months ago and this trip provided the perfect opportunity to meet up.  We could have rambled on for days, but made the most of the few hours we had available and said our farewells.

    I wanted to drive around the campground and get some pictures for the blog but when I did there was little I found that would do it any real justice.  This picture from the public swimming area was what I decided to use.  Not happy with that alone, I thought I might drive up the mountain seen in the background and get a good shot from above.  The campground itself is in that area between the mountains in the background.  I drove out the park entrance and headed up the mountain in hopes of finding a nice observation point to pull off.  No such luck.  Fortunately, a small sign was pointed down a narrow road and marked "Helton Creek Falls".  Being the sucker that I am for waterfalls, I couldn't resist.  The little one lane road snaked down the mountain and was lined with a dozen homes and short dead end lanes to likely more homes nestled in this deep wooded crevasse between the mountains.  The narrow pavement came to an end and another small sign pointed the way adding 2 miles to its face.  I continued on in search of the falls, worried I might come upon another vehicle traveling up the road but there were none.  I rounded another corner and knew I was there.  A dozen cars parked on the edge of the road and a footpath disappearing into the woods.  It wasn't a long hike but it was steep in a few spots.  I came to a split in the path with steps going up to the right and steps rounding down to the left. And There it was.

I walked down into the creek to get a good shot, Pictures just cannot do it justice.  The Waterfall was cascading down a rockface about 40 feet. I noticed a wooden structure at the top and realized it was where the other steps went to.  After I got the shot, I clamored up the steps to get a shot from above.  But wait, there's more.  I was already a little tired climbing up to the overlooking deck, but there was more further upstream and I had to go on.  I'm so glad I did. This trail, steep as it was, required I take a short break midway to catch my breath only to take my breath away at its terminus.  

This was what I came to see.

Sunday we'll get a few errands done and make ready to depart for Waynesville, NC on Monday.  That's all for now, I hope you enjoyed it. (don't forget, you can click on any picture for a better view)

PS. Happy Birthday Mom, I love you.  

Vogel State Park, GA

  It was a smooth and beautiful drive today.  We left Tims Ford and made our way across the hills toward Chattanooga, TN.  I say hills because much of the drive still reminds me of home in NW Arkansas. Altitudes vary from 500 to 1500 ft sometimes steep, always curvey, 2 lane roads, 3 lane hills, 4 lane divided sections.  All in all still quite beautiful, and quite why I love living where I do.  This afternoon revealed so much more. We went from Tennessee to North Carolina to Georgia, all the while watching the mountainous horizon grow closer.  We were soon upon the mountains and some of the highways even made Georgie Girl strain to keep up the pace. Harder yet, holding back as we rolled down the other side. 

At one point, I'm really not sure just where, we were back on 2-lane road, this time riding the side of a mountain with a beautiful white water river flowing down to our right as we wound our way upstream along its edge.  It was clearly a popular white water rafting attraction, I was searching for a convenient pull off to stop and take a break.  There was no shortage of small pull-offs along the river but few were big enough for us and had a decent view to the rear so I could get back on the road safely without causing any other traffic concerns.  Alas, A perfect spot just ahead before the next curve.  I'll pulled off and stepped outside.  Cool, Just Cool....  The river was about 100 feet across and there were several huge boulders leaving about 3 choices to take in a raft. The largest and widest option had a 6 foot drop but hid a big backwash that spun several of the rafts coming down that didn't quite make it far enough to either side before the drop.  The largest of the boulders was squarely in the middle of the river and was wide enough to create a safe rest area for those who took the path on the left or those very capable rafters who could manage enough control after taking the central drop.

The air was so cool, I'm sure the river had a lot to do with it, but the sheer slopes and density of the forest blanketing them surely played a role.  This was a lot of what we had been looking forward to, Deep dense forests, Clear mountain streams, and blissfully temperate breezes with expansive views.  As we neared the top of the mountain, the next curve revealed the launching point for all the rafters and a large parking lot to return them to after their whitewater adrenaline rush has played out.  And of course, now we head down the back side of the mountain racing to the next uphill battle.  Fortunately, were no longer winding alongside the river and the road is now 4-lane divided. 

We arrived at Blairsville, GA. and stopped to get some groceries.  I stayed on the outer fringes of the parking lot and leashed the boys up for a break while lynn went in to shop.  then back to the entrance to pick her up and collect the groceries.  It was only a 20 minute drive from here to the campground.  A bit of a windy road and known to the locals as a major hazard to those who have yet to respect it.  There are few guardrails and steep slopes, with a speed limit that makes for a nice sunday drive, unless you're in a hurry.  The entrance to the park was narrow and winding, comfortable in a car or SUV but, in a Motorhome, pulling an SUV on a dolly it was just plain sensible to come to a stop as close to the edge as possible when another vehicle was approaching from the other direction.

There was a lot of construction going on outside the Park visitors center and only a handful of car parking spots.  We could never have gotten in to check-in at this time and would have to wait till we got setup and situated.  I misread a sign and ended up taking a grand tour of the campgrounds.  It really is a beautiful park.  The sites were well planned and although laid out a little closer together than I would like, the thought behind its design is careful and clear.  Eventually making it back to my wrong turn I made my way to our site and got setup.  I'm impressed considering all the geological challenges, after I got backed into the site, It was nearly level, with plenty of space for the slideout and awning.  There was a clear footpath leading into the woods behind the campsite so I took the boys on a little walk to explore it and about 30 yards from the RV was a beautiful babbling brook and we all dipped our feet in it and sat to relax and enjoy the moment.

We'll be here for 3 nights.  I have an old friend I haven't seen in 40 years driving up to visit Saturday morning.  We've got a lot to catch up on.  Thankfully, there is good Wi-fi here in the park,off and on at a whim, but cell service is almost non-existent.  I wish you could be here to enjoy this weekend with us.  Take care, I'll write again soon.

Tims Ford

    Wednesday morning was nice, another of those "no worry" days since it was only about a 4 hour drive to our next stop, and the Chickasaw park was a quiet peaceful spot that led to an easy feeling of calm.  I'm not really sure what time we pulled out, it was a calm relaxed morning and we just got a quick breakfast and started out.  Getting out of this park was much easier than getting in because the drive to the RV campsites actually rounded back out to the highway.  I added a few miles to the trip to include a Starbucks stop on our route, this would take us up to US-412 East and into Columbia, TN.  

I tried to refrain from mentioning the temperatures on the last post since it appears I focused on almost nothing else previous it.  Thankfully for this leg of the trip, temps were only in the 80s and we were on a lot of 2-lane roads with lots of trees and hills.  A few hours in, I was ready for a break and eyeing for signs of a good place to pull off and let the boys out.  I hadn't been looking for long when I notice a county park on the right and thought it looked promising.  Wow, I expected maybe a pavilion, swimming area and probably a ball field.  This turned out to be all of the above and included about 50+ campsites with water and electric.  There was even a pull-thru site and it provided the perfect spot to stop for lunch.  We're adding this one to our list.  It's not what I would consider a destination but would definitely do well for an overnight stop if you're in a pinch.  We stayed for the better part of an hour, then continued on towards Columbia, TN for that Starbucks. Yum...

We made our way to Tims Ford State park and arrived just after 4pm.  This time there was no Park gate and check-in, and since we already had the site reserved, we just meandered our way around the grounds until we came upon our assigned site.  This is to be a two night stay, a well deserved break from the daily drives.  By the time we got in and setup, the temps were back in the upper 90s and it was a good hour just getting the RV comfortable.  I  took that time to get everything else setup like the BBQ, carpet, Lounge chairs, etc.  As luck would have it, I stepped back into the RV to rest and a gust of wind blew the awning up like a sail.  A storm front was approaching and it started to rain.  Within minutes the temps fell 10 degrees and after a long light rain we were enjoying a calm misty 78 degrees with a light breeze.  It sprinkled on and off all night and we awoke to a very nice 73 degree morning.

Tims Ford State Park, and more specifically Fairview Campground, is on a huge reservoir and is frequented by campers and fishing enthusiasts.  Being the last week in June, the campground was full, and a bit cramped compared to a lot of sites we've visited but there was a nice green space beside us that lent itself to the dining table window where I'm sitting and writing the blogs.  I outlined our site on the aerial map for reference, site 82.  It's about noon now and a nice 80 degrees with mostly cloudy skies and a light breeze.  I plan to take the boys for walk around the campground loop after lunch. We'll be here again tonight, then back on the road east tomorrow once more.  

Tennessee

 We had a good evening and I got most of the chores done before retiring for the evening.  I awoke at 6:45 and finished getting everything ready to depart short of the water and power hookups.  We had a quick microwave breakfast sandwich and finished off the cantaloupe.  It turned out to be a bit longer day than planned but that's just part of RV life.  We took our time getting out pulling out of the campsite about 8:30, stopped at the dump station to empty the tanks, then made our way to the main gate to check out by 9am.  It would be a pretty straight forward trip, somewhere about 250 miles, mostly Interstate, then an overnight stop at a State Park.  

We made our way out to the interstate and doddled along not wanting to get there before check-in time.  I had driven about an hour and decided to stop and make another latte' and grab a smoke while I had a chance.  I'm not sure just what it was that caught my attention but I took a closer look at the tire on the passenger side of the car dolly and saw polyester cords showing.  I have a brand new spare but, realized I only have the jack that came with the Murano.  I could manage jacking it up to change the tire but, the only lug wrench I have is also for the Murano and it is definitely NOT the same size lugs on the tow dolly.  I got back inside and we began looking for a suitable tire center as near as possible and got back onto the interstate at a slightly relaxed pace now trying to baby the soon to expire tire long enough to get it changed.  Found a place about 25 miles away and only 3 miles from the interstate.  I had only planned on having them mount the spare and I would have the tire changed at a more convenient time or day.  As the attendant was getting the spare off of the mount, he pointed out that the Other Tire was also showing cords.  No time like the present.  We left the new spare on the mount and just got 2 new tires put on the dolly.  No more worries.

Back on the road, we stopped at a rest area to let the dogs out and fix some sandwiches.  No concerns about getting to the park too early and I have to admit, its a bit less stressful driving 5 under the speed limit.  The last time I crossed the Mississippi River, I had to make a few detours as one of the bridges was undergoing repairs and all traffic was being routed across the 1 remaining bridge.  This time wasn't so bad, traffic was about as dense as expected and we made it through Memphis without incident.  We exited onto US 64 and it looked like we would be arriving almost exactly at the campground check-in time of 4pm.

Our first stop in Tennessee is at Chickasaw State Park, about 2 hours east of the mississippi river.  The Park entrance was a simple turn off from the road but you immediately come to a Y in the road with signs pointing both directions with lettering too small to make out without stopping and blocking the road while you try to read it.  Then the Park office (to the left) had NO parking area available except for cars.  I took up a generous 5 spaces hoping to have enough room to make the U-turn necessary to get out and (to the right) which would take us to the campsite.  I can make a U-turn in the RV pretty easy, but the car on the tow dolly adds a bit more to that turning radius and I barely had enough space.  Making our way into the campground, it was only moments before that deep sense of calm washed over and we were at peace among the forest on a twisty path to our pull-through site for the night.

Since it's only an overnight stay, there was nothing more to do than get into place, drop the landing gear, hook up the water and power, open the slide out, and settle in for a nice quiet evening.  Free Wi-fi was among the amenities, You get what you pay for.  I was able to check my email, but unable to download a 400k pdf.  This wasn't a huge disappointment, Not really worried about getting online much, but it did mean you wouldn't get to see this when I finished it but rather later when I could get back to the highway and enough signal to upload it.  Wednesday will be another short drive, this one only about 200 miles and I can already feel the temperature dropping. 

Maumelle Park

 

    The past 2 days have reminded me the title of this series is "Summer of 2024".  Making our way south, the heat increased to the point that the Cab A/C couldn't manage and at a rest area I started the generator and turned on the roof A/C to help.  I used to think this was wasteful but as the temperature was now approaching 100 and the heat index now at 111 it was a necessity.  We arrived at Maumel Park at about 4:30, checked in and made our way to our assigned pull-thru campsite.  This is a beautiful Core of Engineers Park situated between the Arkansas River on the east side and Pinacle Mountain to the west.  We had stayed here once before and decided it was a great primary first stop for any travels to the south or east.  

The heat was stifling and I ended up leaving the cab A/C on for a while after we got set up just to get it comfortable inside.  It was 8:00 before the sun fell behind the trees and the air began to cool.  I decided to rinse off the salty sweat my shirt could no longer absorb and take a cool shower.  The water pressure here at the park was dismal, so I decided to turn on the water pump for better flow.  NOT what I was expecting.  I didn't take into account the water tank on the RV had been in the heat just like the rest of us and the cold water tap produced nothing less than 90 degree water so, off with the pump and enjoy the low pressure cool water.  

Overnight low was only 76 and todays high is 97 with 95% humidity.  A perfect excuse to stay inside and catch up on the blog.    I ventured out a few times this morning.  Toto and Bilbo were eager to follow and make their mark on the campsite.  We had a cool breakfast of toast and some juicy peaches we found at a roadside stand on the way.  I just love farm fresh tree ripened fruit so much more than anything we can find at the grocery, there's just no comparison.   Already 90 degrees by 10 am.  we snacked on a couple hard boiled eggs from the fridge and sat down to enjoy some music.

We topped out at 97 and the RV topped out at 85 inside.  I managed to reset the A/C and got her back down to 77 which is what my background in HVAC tells me it should be able to do.  In all that heat, It was a great opportunity to make a walmart run, the A/C in the car would get us back to comfortable, Lynn would shop for items that wouldn't need more than the microwave or fridge.  Of all things, the temperature was only 89 outside walmart, but I watched it run right back up to 96 as we drove back to the campsite.  Did I mention it was hot?  

OK, it's a cool 71 inside now, I'm finishing up the blog post for today and planning the trip to Tennessee tomorrow morning.  We'll be stopping overnight at Chickasaw State Park in Henderson, TN then a few more hours east and a two night stay in Winchester, TN.  

Summer of 2024

It's packing day.  Usually the day before we embark but, as our first location is fairly close to home and we had plenty of time to get there, we had made plans the day before not willing to get out in the heat or bring the RV up from the lower drive just yet.  We've done this so many times already that it's almost become second nature.  Almost being the key-word here.  Sure, there are lots of things that have to be done in preparation for a trip, not just for the RV but for us as well. We've set aside a number of items as RV-Only so we don't have to load and unload them everytime we come and go. It's been some time since our last outing though and like anything else, I get a little rusty without regular use.  Lynn keeps a Checklist to assist in these matters and we have altered it from time to time as we've learned what works for us.  

No endeavor has ever gone exactly to plan and if ever one did, I'm sure something occurred we just didn't notice.  Not the case this time.  We spent most of the day packing clothes, cancelling mail delivery, prepping the RV, and rechecking the list.  As luck would have it, My favorite daily visitor, Who had not been seen for months, passed by and I couldn't help but stop her on her way back around to catch up. Our mail carrier Kimberly, had been out of commission for several months and was now happily returning to her post and most importantly to the people, like me, who look forward to seeing her.  Yes, Even though I once proposed email would do away with the US Mail, I am quite happy to admit my error.

Murphy proved once again that no plan is ever complete.  We had already loaded up, gotten settled for the albeit short trek to our first stop, re-hashed the checklist and assured ourselves that we had everything, with the notion that we could pick-up any unforeseen missed items along the way as needed.  I of course, confident all was good, finished hooking the car up to the RV and got us on the way.  We had barely gotten a mile away before I returned home again to... fetch my teeth.  I could go without, but there are a few things I just can't enjoy gums alone.  At least I wasn't 20 miles away, right?  I mean its easy to pick up a toothbrush or razor along the way but, I don't have that option in this case.

We arrived at our campsite with plenty of daylight left to get set up.  Living here in Northwest Arkansas, its easy to take the beautiful views for granted.  I am usually so busy with my customers and google maps that I don't often take the time to stop and smell the roses.  A short drive across the hills in the RV changes all of that and soon that "Ultra HDR Panoramic Windshield" explodes with vivid colors and expansive horizons.  I do love it here...  Our first stop, only an hour away, is serene, tranquil, buried deep in the woods, surrounded by vertical stone cliffs carved out by the river just below our campsite.  I'll leave the exact location anonymous as the tranquility it brings would surely dissolve if word got out.  There is Zero cell service, somehow a few digital tv signals make it in but not at a rate you could truly enjoy watching and besides, who would want to when its the beauty and tranquility you were here for in the first place.

A nice evening under the high canopy with a simply prepared dinner and, the boys (Toto and Bilbo) exploring the campsite for every possible spot to mark as they do.  We settled in and had a nice quiet evening.  I slept a good 8 hours at least, no sirens, no weed eaters, no traffic. Only the wind, birdsongs, and the gentle rippling of the river to greet the day.  I got up, made a coffee and a Latte' and stepped outside to soak it all in.  Although its already in the mid eighties at home, here under the trees alongside the river and below the majestic stone cliffs, its only about 75 and not likely to get warm enough to break a sweat.  I'm not entirely sure what the temperature is here, I may have to invest in an old fashioned mercury thermometer some day but the lack of cell service hasn't motivated me enough for that just yet.

We've learned to make the transition quite well now that we've had the RV for a while.  It was hard to adjust in the beginning not having a 16 hour day scheduled with customers to greet and deadlines to beat.  Now its all in good time as we bathe in the richness of retirement.  I might have to wait an hour on breakfast and not only do I not mind it, I prefer to enjoy the relaxed pace knowing I don't have to be anywhere but right where I am.  Lynn heated up breakfast, a couple of oversized homemade Starbucks style canadian bacon roasted tomato egg bites prepared the evening before we left.  I fed the boys and enjoyed another latte'.  Lynn settled in with a book and I lay down to take a short nap. (I know, Crazy right?)  Not half as crazy as waking to realize my "short nap" was 2 hours, OMG.  

I stepped outside and had a smoke while the boys did a little more exploring and decided it was a good time to don the swimming trunks and let the boys meander with me down the footpath to the waters edge.  Now, to be clear, I've lived on the ozarks for 45 years thereabout, and I've had my fair share of clear mountain streams to enjoy, but this is the end of June, It's been in the nineties for the past few weeks at home and a cold stream is well enjoyed and sought after by many.  However, I was completely unprepared for this one.  I stepped ankle deep into the water and relished the cold water and soft sand that spread a few yards out from the bank coaxing the boys to follow. Toto was first and Bilbo just got his front paws in before backing out.  Toto stood beside me for only another moment before hopping back to the bank.  The water was colder than expected but I was sure I would acclimate within a few minutes and found my way over to a boulder that had rolled into the waters edge making a nice seat for me to sit and relax.  

I had entirely underestimated the water.  That startling cold I felt when I stepped in was now becoming a sense of hypothermia deep into my feet and making its way up to my shins.  This wasn't a cold mountain stream, this was Glacial Ice that didn't know it should be solid.  The Rock I was sitting on was a good 15 feet away from where we had first stepped off of the bank at the end of the footpath and now seemed like a long way from me as I began to feel like my frozen limbs would break off if I wasn't careful.  I know it's an exaggeration, but I have never, ever, felt water so cold that wasn't actually frozen.  we climbed our way back up the footpath to the campsite and sat down for lunch.  After lunch I could still feel the cold trying to resist thawing in my bones and though it a good time to sit and ponder the last few days.  No cell service meant I had no way to post this blog until we ventured out towards our next stop but decided I could still get my thoughts down while still fresh and post this when we had signal to do so.  That'll be tomorrow afternoon, sometime shortly after my feet thaw and I can manage a break pedal.  

So this entry was finished Saturday afternoon but I'll be following up again soon.  Thanks for all the encouragement, I do enjoy writing and will continue with or without an audience just to be able to remember these little treks a little better.  Cheers!